Tesla has expanded its Full Self-Driving Beta program by releasing the first public version of FSD Beta 12.1.2, update 2023.44.30.12 to a select group of Tesla owners. This version is notable for its use of an end-to-end neural network, which is expected to greatly improve Tesla's advanced driver assist system (ADAS). The neural network, trained on millions of video clips, replaces much of the previous explicit C++ coding, improving the system's capability to handle complex driving situations. While Elon Musk had suggested that version 12 would see FSD coming out of beta, the release notes still label it as beta.
Tesla previously released FSD Beta v12 internally, including v12, v12.1, and v12.1.1, but v12.1.2 is the first to be available to non-employees. OG FSD Beta tester, and Tesla influencer, @WholeMarsBlog received this newest release last night and has already published his video (below).
Early Feedback & Tempering Expectations
Early reports say that FSD Beta v12 is more intuitive and drives more human-like. The feedback appears to be overwhelmingly positive, although it’s not uncommon for owners to get excited about such a monumental release that we’ve been looking forward to for many months. We may need to temper our expectations as this release alone won’t get us to level 4 or even level 3 autonomy, but it could be a significant step in the right direction. It could be as significant to vehicle control as when Tesla first transitioned to using AI for Autopilot.
Early reports say that there is a noticeable improvement in how the vehicle handles urban driving scenarios. The smoother transitions and quicker response times appear to contribute to a more comfortable and human-like driving experience. This shouldn’t be unexpected, as vehicle control is now trained on videos of humans driving instead of engineer-written code.
New Pull-Over Feature
A notable feature of FSD Beta v12.1.2 is its ability to pull over to the side of the road autonomously, a functionality showcased in Musk's live stream. At the end of a drive, the vehicle will now pull over to the site of the road instead of simply stopping. WholeMarsBlog shows off this feature in action in his video below:
FSD Beta 12 pulls over after reaching destination pic.twitter.com/OFsPfYAFnr
— Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog) January 22, 2024
Release Notes
For such a milestone release, Tesla hasn’t provided much information in the way of release notes. Each FSD Beta release normally contains a long list of technical release notes, which often need to be translated for everyone to understand. However, this time we get a single sentence that describes FSD Beta v12. The release notes simply state:
“FSD Beta v12 upgrades the city-streets driving stack to a single end-to-end neural network trained on millions of video clips, replacing over 300k lines of explicit C++ code.”
Road Ahead and Release Date
A clearer picture of FSD Beta v12.1.2 and its real-world performance will emerge as more Tesla owners receive the update and share their feedback. It will be interesting to see how the system handles diverse driving conditions, especially in areas with heavy precipitation, a scenario Elon Musk mentioned needing more training.
While this public release is monumental, the release to additional owners is expected to be a gradual and slow process. It could be months before most owners have access to this latest update. Tesla will likely gather feedback with this release and issue additional v12 betas to ignore other issues and improve the system.
While Tesla continues to innovate and refine its FSD technology, it is crucial to remember that the software is still in beta. The transition to full autonomy is a complex and gradual process, requiring rigorous testing and validation. However, with each update like v12.1.2, Tesla moves closer to realizing its vision of fully autonomous vehicles.
